Cold Weather Fuel Cell | Green Energy News

February 22, 2004 – Vol.8 No.48

COLD WEATHER FUEL CELL.

After the latest testing Honda has announced that its new fuel cell design announced last year will start-up in temperatures as low as 12 degrees F ( -11 degrees C).

Cold weather start-up is one of the many hurdles hydrogen fuel cell developers have to clear before fuel cell automobiles can be released to the general public. And while this latest achievement is a worthy accomplishment, Honda still must go further down the thermometer to be acceptable.

Cars have to be built for all markets at once. While 12 degrees F is fine for a fuel cell car operating in Florida, that same car might end up in Minnesota in January where it would freeze inoperable.

Honda also says the new fuel cell has 50 percent fewer parts than its earlier designs and the company intends to make the fuel cell stack commercially available within the next year.

The company’s FCX car with the new fuel cell will reach 93 miles per hour and travel more than 180 miles before refueling with pressurized hydrogen. Visit Honda media at http://www.hondanews.com/ .